EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEERING - VOLUNTEER WELLINGTON n TE PUNA TAUTOKO n YOUR COMMUNITY CONNECTOR
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EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEERING
VOLUNTEER WELLINGTON n TE PUNA TAUTOKO n YOUR COMMUNITY CONNECTOR
ISSUE 41 n DECEMBER 2020
Miracles can happen Meri Kirihimete me te
Miracles can happen – you just need somebody like Hape Nū Ia. Wishing you
Steve Wilson to manifest them. a peaceful and restorative
festive season.
Steve is the kaitiaki – come wizard – a career in the organic horticultural
come grand meister – come ‘how does sector. Lyne Pringle, EV Coordinator
this guy do it’ – driving force behind Te What they have achieved is truly
Tito Gardens in Porirua. Te Rito Organics remarkable considering that the last
asert – Tātou Development Trust is couple of years have been hugely efforts around the nearby stream to
part community project and part social challenging. Many of us have witnessed beautify what is an exposed site, re-
enterprise. the slow transformation of the establishing the vegetable gardens
Their mission statement is: “Manaaki Keneperu area as Transmission Gully that supply places like Common Sense
Tangata, Manaaki Whenua, Haere takes shape and the massive push to Organics, setting up the systems to
Whakamua – Care for the People, Care build housing in the area. support the propagation and growing
for the Land, Go Forward.” Porirua has become a major of native plants that are sold to the
And their purpose is to facilitate work zone with enormous concrete regional council, re-establishing the
a training and work environment in structures turning into access ramps woodworking facilities to make wooden
which tātou (all people) are given an for the new road and earthworks and spoons for sale and many many more
opportunity to learn the life skills of monstrous machinery laying the earth systems and processes that have been
growing food and acquiring an income bare as it is resculpted. built up at the old site over several
in a sustainable way. To empower In the midst of all this mayhem Te years – let alone rehousing the beloved
people with the skills, knowledge and Rito Gardens has continued to function chickens!
the confidence to “go forward” into even though the encroachment has But I was wrong. The new site has
come closer and closer. Literally a little been completely transformed and is on
shrinking oasis of calm. track to be an astounding new Te Rito
The good news is that they have a Gardens.
new site for the gardens further south, I cannot express enough the respect
near Keneperu Hospital. I have visited and admiration I have for Steve, his
Steve many times over the past few team and his board.
months, sometimes he was utterly As I said when I caught up with him
stretched to the limit and at one point recently ‘How’s Superman?’ and really
said ‘I’m not sure if I can pull this off’. really meant it. In typical fashion he
When I visited just after lockdown I shrugged it off and said ‘We’re getting
was blown away by how much Steve there’.
and his regular staff and volunteers We have sent a lot of teams through
have achieved – my jaw was almost the Employee Volunteering programme
dragging on the ground. to Te Rito, including an epic effort by
I have to admit that I couldn’t see 40 volunteers from Z Energy across one
how the vision for the new site could be day to help with clearing and sorting
achieved, when Steve first took me on a the new site as well as the installation
tour: creating new structures, levelling of drainage system for the soon to be
STEVE WILSON ground, planting and conservation planted orchard.
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Employee Volunteer Programme 2020/21
Despite the challenges of Covid-19, by the end of the year, we will have completed close to 65
projects involving 693 volunteers from 23 businesses and government departments with 25 of
Volunteer Wellington’s community member organisations.
Bookings are strong for the New Year. Watch this space for information about our awards event
for 2021 to celebrate volunteering – we are working on a new format for this.
Going forward we continue to work with our Employee Volunteering Partners who are making
valuable connections in their communities through volunteering. We always welcome new
partners to join our programme.
To the Island Recycle Recycle Recycle Planting the Peak
The rangers on Matiu/Somes Island Kiwi Community Assistance in Friends of Makara Peak – For every
are passionate about their conservation Grenada hosted teams from AJ metre of bike track a native is planted,
work and they are excellent hosts Park, Vocus and GNS Science. to restore the podocarp canopy.
passing on their knowledge to They helped to bring order to their Z Energy, AsureQuality and Victoria
volunteers. The Treasury and phenomenal warehouse where goods University staff recently contributed.
AsureQuality recently volunteering are disseminated widely into the
there. community.
Taking care of the stream
ACC did some valuable volunteering at
Waiwhetu Stream.
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Fabulous Zealandia
ANZ, NZ Post and AsureQuality spent
an energetic day in the field doing
❝ We had a great morning at
KCA on Wednesday. We were very
valuable maintenance work. tired afterwards. What a fantastic
opportunity for us to help KCA
again.
❞
AJ PARK ON THEIR VOLUNTEER
DAY WITH KIWI COMMUNITY
ASSISTANCE
Oasis in the city
Z Energy and AJ Park at Upstream in
Central Park.
5 MINUTES WITH
ADELLE NANCEKIVELL
Scientist at
AsureQuality
Hanging with the oldies How long have you been in your
A crew from AsureQuality had a current role?
wonderful day with Huntleigh Home I have been with AsureQuality for seven
residents. years
Tell us a fun fact about yourself?
I built a mountain bike from scratch by
myself and I also ride motorbikes.
What is your background?
My background is in the science and
food-testing industry. AsureQuality was
my first job out of Uni and I’m still there!
What is your take on the interface
Bring Back the Natives between businesses and the
community?
The Treasury were introduced to
My take on the interface between
restoration efforts at the Bring Back
businesses and the community is
the Natives site.
that it’s a growing area with a lot
❝ Thank you for yesterday, Lyne.
of potential. Since signing up with
We had a blast!
❞ Volunteer Wellington I feel like
ASUREQUALITY ON THEIR AsureQuality has gained stronger ties to
VOLUNTEERING AT HUNTLEIGH
HOME the community and I feel like those ties
are going to continue to strengthen.
Why do you think volunteering is
Resewing
important?
AJ Park sorting fabrics for the St I think volunteering is important
Vincent de Paul resew project. because there are a lot of things that
need doing in the community that
don’t necessarily have funding.
What other volunteering do you do?
Island Bay magic
I also volunteer at the Forest and Bird
Manawa Karioi is another great Plant Nursery in Highbury and at
conservation project that hosted The Makara Peak.
Treasury.
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MBIE – BRM AT BRING BACK THE NATIVES
Government departments ‘walking the talk’
Through these turbulent times I have 2020 and there are a lot of people who
been grateful for the steady rudder of have certainly been doing just this.
our government. Lately when I have been greeting the
Despite the challenges of the teams on site, I make a point of telling
times there has been a steady flow them that, as much as their day is about
of goverment departments booking helping out a community group, it is
projects, so that their people can also about taking care of themselves.
get out of the office to experience a The going has been tough for
connection with their communities. people and I am aware that many are
Many civil servants have been under exahusted and fragile. So it is important
the pump over the last few months that they enjoy the day, breath deeply MBIE – BRM AT ST VINCENT DE PAUL
as Covid-19 has demanded new and and use the opportuity, away from
nimble responses to a dynamic national the office with their colleagues, to and we have public servants, from
and international landscape. share a laugh and find nourishment in management right through, willing to
‘Pivot’ has become the go to verb of whatever activity they are doing. embrace the concept of Mahi Aroha,
This is one of the things I value about the future feels positive.
our Employee Volunteering programme There is great uncertainty in our
– it’s a two way street where everybody world at present, no doubt, but I am
wins – to mix a couple of metaphors. heartened by the people I have met
Volunteering in the community ticks recently and the willingness to reach
all of the boxes in the Mental Health out and connect.
Foundations framework for well-being: We can make it through. Thank you
Connect, me whakawhanaunga; Give, so much to all the people, especially the
tukua; Take Notice, me aro tonu; Keep hard working government employees,
Learning, me ako tonu and Be Active, who have put their hands up to
me kori tonu. volunteer in recent months – you give
When we connect this with the four me great pleasure in my work.
pillars of good citizenship that the
current government espouses: earning,
ACC AT WAIWHETU STREAM learning, caring and volunteering
Employee Volunteering Partners: ACC; AJ Park Ltd; ANZ National Bank;
AsureQuality; GNS Science; IAG New Zealand; IBM New Zealand; Jarden Group;
KPMG; Massey University College of Creative Arts, Mercer Ltd; Ministry of
Business Innovation and Employment-Legal; Ministry of Business Innovation
and Employment – Capability Services; Ministry for the Environment; Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Ministry of Justice, NZ Post Group; Parliamentary
Volunteer Wellington
Counsel Office; Parliamentary Service; Pynenberg & Collins Architects; Te Tumu Level 7, 186 Willis Street, Wellington
Paeroa; Todd Foundation; The Treasury; Victoria University of Wellington; Vocus Tel 499 4572
Group; Wellington Electricity Corporation; Z Energy Email ev@volunteerwellington.nz
Website www.volunteerwellington.nz
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